Family doctors are too overworked to tackle patients about smoking even though treating smoking-related illnesses costs the NHS £1.5 billion a year in England, research shows.

Family doctors are too overworked to tackle patients about smoking even though treating smoking-related illnesses costs the NHS &#xA3;1.5 billion a year in England, research shows.

Some GPs were so worried about increasing their workload that they were unwilling to put up posters about quitting smoking in their waiting rooms.

The findings by charity group No Smoking Day, which falls on Wednesday, also showed that one in two smokers will die from the habit.

Many GPs told the charity they were reluctant to raise the subject because it takes time to provide adequate help and advice.

They also said talking to their patients about smoking could often be "frustrating" and "unrewarding" and that they "didn't like to bother" patients who had other problems, such as lack of money or poor housing.

This is despite figures showing more than 80 per cent of smokers regret ever starting smoking and that stopping smoking results in lower stress levels.

Doctors found it easier to broach the topic with those already ill with a smoking-related illness, such as heart and lung disease, even though statistics showed this group of people were the least likely to quit.

They also found it easier if the patients raised the subject of quitting themselves.

GPs informed about the NHS specialist clinics for smokers were also more willing to talk to patients and refer them for specialist help quickly.

Doreen McIntyre, chief executive of No Smoking Day, said: "The results of this study are worrying. Smoking-related illness is filling up GP waiting rooms and hospital beds, but smokers aren't yet getting rapid access to the specialist services that can help them stop.

"GPs need better information about these services, and they need to encourage their patients to use them. The new services need to make better links with local GPs to make sure they know about the huge success rates they can offer."